Rebuilding the village through organizing.
Ready to take action to win affordable childcare and paid family leave?
Sign our MEMBERSHIP PLEDGE to join Mother Forward!
“We value each other’s commitment to creating a better world for our children. We have each other’s backs because we believe in the dignity of life and the safety of future generations. We know we won’t agree on all the things all the time, but together we pledge to build a caring economy that honors the work of motherhood and caregiving.”
Our Children Need…
Security & Care
Every child deserves to be in a safe and stimulating environment where they can learn, grow, and thrive. High-quality childcare provides this foundation, allowing parents to contribute to society and families to flourish.
Support for Families
Time to connect, nurture, and care for one another is vital for healthy child development, and for society. Paid leave policies ensure parents can be there for their children during critical moments, fostering strong family bonds.
Thriving Futures
By investing in our children’s well-being, we build a stronger future for everyone. Strong childcare and family leave systems contribute to a more equitable society where all children have the resources and support they need to succeed.
Our Vision
We envision a world where motherhood is honored in homes, in communities, and in our society. By honoring motherhood, we believe that our society will come together in unity so that all people live fulfilled lives and all families thrive.
Mother Forward in the News
-
When Families Thrive, America Thrives
Why paid family leave and universal child care can’t wait. By Kristina Miller Moms wear many hats. We are caregivers, organizers, breadwinners, teachers, volunteers, and motivators. We’re the glue that holds families together and the backbone of our communities. Politicians on both sides of the aisle praise moms endlessly, yet when it comes to passing…
-
What I learned about Head Start in rural America
When Starr Dixon heard the Trump administration was floating a proposal last spring to eliminate Head Start, the 27-year-old parent in rural Michigan cried for a week. The free, federally funded early learning program has been life-changing for her and her young daughter, she said. It provided stability after Dixon, who lives about 100 miles…
-
Opinion | Investing in families means protecting Head Start
By Rinn O’Rourke | guest column I serve as a home visitor for Early Head Start in western Wisconsin. In this role, I work with families in Eau Claire, Buffalo and Trempealeau counties —both in cities where services are more readily available, and in small towns where resources are scarce. Every day, I meet parents…
-
Head Start moms won’t let Washington cut their kids’ future
While many of us were slapping on sunscreen and trying to soak up the last days of summer, moms across the country were dialing—and redialing—their congresspeople. These are Head Start moms—ones who rely on the program and see its impact every day. Nationally, Head Start serves nearly 1 million children, providing a free preschool setting…
-
Child Care Doesn’t Have to Be This Terrible
It was only after months of expensive child care stress that I learned other countries don’t do it this way. At three months old, my son was kicked out of his daycare. I had spent my pregnancy navigating my city’s brutal child care landscape — posting on social media looking for nanny shares, adding my…
-
Supporting Moms, No Matter What
On TikTok and in person, these Knoxville moms are focused on connection over division It’s early on a Saturday morning and toddlers are zipping around with toy cars across the tile floor of a Knoxville housepainting company. You have to weave through these sweet swarms of busy children to get to the back room, where…
-
Opinion | Wisconsin needs child care funding now
By Kathryn Dicks | guest column After six years of paying ungodly amounts of money for full-time child care, I decided major change was needed to make the future better. My family paid over 33% of our annual income, more than our mortgage, for child care for two children. I want my daughter and son…
-
Guest Post: Everyone deserves a chance to thrive, especially our children.
When I met Katy Dicks— a Wisconsin mom of two who works two jobs—I was struck by what a good communicator she is. She doesn’t use jargon or terms that I have to Google later— she just says things plain. In her OpEd below, her message is simple: She and her husband had to pay…
-
Families rally at Ohio Statehouse for support in state operating budget
Dozens of people took to the steps of the Ohio Statehouse on Tuesday, taking with them concerns about the state of support for parents and families in the state budget. The rally, led by child advocacy group Groundwork Ohio, included not only advocacy groups and faith leaders, but also workers in child care and parents…
-
Working Families Rally at Ohio Statehouse call attention to child tax credit, Medicaid
Katie Holler and her son Teddy, 3, were among the hundreds of advocates, families, and community leaders gathering at the Ohio Statehouse for the Working Families Rally June 17, 2025 to call attention to the needs of Ohio’s working families with young children. The rally pushed for a refundable Child Tax Credit and increased child…
Mother Forward 